Cultivator.



No. 814,567. PATENTED MAR. 6, 1906. S. A. SPITZ. GULTIVATOR. APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 25, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

I Inventor Attorneys Nor 814,5 67. PATENTED MAR. 6, 1906.

S. A. SPITZ.

GULTIVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 25, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

lnventor Witness Attorneys PATENT OFFICE,

SAMUEL A. SPITZ, OF DAVID CITY,

TO PETER B. GAINER, OF

NEBRASKA, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF DAVID CITY, NEBRASKA.

CULTlVATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 6, 19cc.

Application filed August 25, .1905. Serial No. 275,812.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL A. SPITZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at David City, in the county of Butler and State of Nebraska, have invented a new and useful Cultivator, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to riding-cultivators I and it has for its object to promote simplicity, durability, and general efliciency in the construction and operation of this class of dc vices, to improve the draft attachment so that the draft may be applied evenly and without excessive strain upon any of the parts of the device and at a low-down point where it will be most efficiently applied, and to provide for the adjustment of the axis upon which the frame is supported, so that the said frame may be evenly balanced according to the weight of the driver.

With these and other ends in view, which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferred form of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitation is necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited, but that the right is reserved to any changes, alterations, and modifications to which recourse may be had within the scope of the invention and without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the efiiciency of the same.

. In said drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of a riding-cultivator constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention, said view being partly in section. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a perspective detail view of the draft attachment. Fig. 4 is a perspective detail view of one of the sockets for, the attachment of the cultivatorbeams. Fig. 5 is a perspective detail view of one of the connecting andadjusting links. Fig. 6 is a detail rear elevation of a cultivator-blade of a construction slightly different from that shown in the remaining figures.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are indicated throughout by similar characters of reference.

The frame of the machinevincludes a crosswhich is connected securely, as by means of a clip 2, to the under side of the tongue 3. Said cross-bar supports near the ends thereoffa pair of links 4 4, (shown in detail in Fig. 5 of the drawings,) each of said links consisting of a suitably-shaped block or casting having two parallel bores 5 and 6, the former of which engages the cross-bar 1 7 7 are a pair of side frame members, each consistin of a link rod or bar bent at each end, the forward end of each of said bars being in pivotal engagement with the bore 6 of one of the links 4. The bent portions 8 at the rear ends of the bars 7 constitute spindles upon which the carrying-wheels 9 are supported for rotation.

Firmly secured upon the sides of the tongue are the forward extremities of a pair of framebars, which latter include parallel portions 10 10 and laterally extending converging portions 10 10, which latter terminate in the bent portions or bracket members 12, engaging opposite sides of the tongue and secured to the latter, as by transverse bolts 14. Upon the under sides of the parallel portions 10 10 of these frame-bars and upon the upper sides of the frame-bars 7, near the hubs of the wheels, are secured perforated lugs 11, which are connected and spaced apart by means of links 12.

Pivoted upon one of the frame-bars 10 is one end of the seat support, which in the present instance has been illustrated as comprising two spaced parallel bars 13, slightly curved downwardly and supporting the seat 14. The free ends of the bars constituting the seat-support terminate in hooks 15, which are supported upon the opposite frame-bar 10. Set-collars 16. serve to retain the seatsupport adjustably upon the frame-bar 10, with which it is pivotally connected. By the construction described the free end of the seat-support may be raised when desiredto enable the driver to step in front of the seat previous to mounting, thus facilitating access to the seat.

Each of the links 4 is provided in one side thereof with a notch or recess 17, in which is seated a lever 18, having a stop 19, adapted to engage a perforated segment 20, one of which is mounted upon each of Y the framebars 10. It will be seen by manipulating said levers the links may be partially rotated upon bar 1, preferably of circular cross-section and the frame-bar 1, so as to move the frame members 7 in a forward or in a rearward di rection, as may be desired, the link connection 12 between the frame members 7 and 10 enabling such adjustment to take place for the purpose of adjusting the axis 0 the carrying-wheels forwardly or rearwardly, as may be desired, according to the weight of the driver, and thus causing the entire frame to be evenly balanced. It is obvious that a preliminary longitudinal adjustment of the seat may first be made; but experience has proven the desirability of a perfectly accurate adjustment to cause the implement to be evenly balanced, and this important object may be satisfactorily attained by the simple construction and arrangement of parts just described.

Upon the frame-bar 1 are pivotally mounted a plurality of levers 21, said levers being mounted adjustably between set-collars 22.

The upper ends of these levers are connected in pairs by link-bars 23, and said link-bars, which are disposed in front of the upper ends of the levers 21, are connected by central pivotal pins or bolts 24 with a pair of evener bars 25, disposed adjacent to the upper and under sides of the link-bars .23. The evenerbars 25 are centrally pivoted upon a standard 26, extending upwardly from the tongue 3 near the rear end of the latter, said standard being reinforced by an obliquelydisposed brace 27.

The draft is attached to the lower ends of the levers 21, which are provided with hooks 28, to which the tugs or traces of the draftanimals are directly attached, the use of ordinary swingle and double trees bein thus env tirely avoided. This draft attachment is considered an important feature of the invention, for the reason that the draft may be applied at a point not far above the ground, where it is most effective and where it will most readily yield to steering, while the absence of swingletrees avoids hampering the heels of the animals, which are thereby frequently annoyed and irritated when draft attachments of ordinary construction are used.

Upon the frame-bar 1 are mounted a pair of sleeves 29 of the construction shown in detail in Fig. 4 of the drawings, by reference to which it will be seen that said sleeves are provided upon their front sides with socket members 30, having bores extending vertically therethrough for the passage of the front ends of the cultivator-beams 31, which .are retained in thebores of said socket members by means of set-collars 32, whereby vertical adjustment of said beams may be conveniently effected. In like manner the sleeves 29 may be adjusted laterally upon the framebar 1 by means of set-collars 33, between which they are secured. The beams are extended rearwardly and are curved downwardly to form standards 34.,a1'1xiliarys'tand ards 35 being secured to said beams in the usual manner. The beams are equipped with handles 36, whereby they may be conveniently manipulated by the operator, and with foot-rests 37, enabling the operator to press the standards downwardly with his feet. Upon the inner sides of the side members 7 are provided hooks 38, upon which the standards may be supported when lifted from the round for transportation.

The preferred form of blades has been illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, by reference .to which it will be seen that said blades are maderight and left hand, so that by exchan ing from one side to the other they may throw dirt toward or fromthe row of plants that is being operated upon, according to the nature of the work. Said-blades, which are designated 3.9, are provided with obli ue upper edges, (indicated at Q0) and said lades are properly twistedto constitute moldboards for the purposes indicated. In lieu of the blades illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings :the special blade 41 .(shown in Fig. 6) may be used, said blade being adapted forstraight work and thereforeprovidedwith a straight upper ed :e, while the contour of the blade is marke by the :absence of .any'twist therein beyond the longitudinal curvature.

From the foregoing :descri tion, taken in connection with the drawings eretoannexed, the operation andadvantages .of this invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which it .appertains.

It will be observed that "theframe is extremely light and therefore easily propelled, that the draft attachment is suchas toenable the power .exert'edby the animals to :be most profitably employed, and that the provisions made for balancingthe frame with regard to the weight of the driver or operator :are conducive to lightness of draft and to effectiveness in the operation of the device as a whole.

Having thus described the-invention, what is claimed is- 1. In a riding-cultivator, aatongue, a pair of parallel 'framebars having converging front .ends secured upon :the sides of the tongue, a cross-bar secured upon the under side of the tongue, links pivoted upon said cross-bar and having operating-levers, wheelcarrying bars connected pivotally with the links and terminating vat their free ends in spindles upon which the carrying-wheels .are supported for rot.ation,'.andauxiliary links connecting the wheel-carrying bars with the parallel frame-bars.

2. In a riding-cultivator, a tongue, a pair of parallel frame-bars having converging front ends secured upon the sides of the tongue, a cross-bar secured upon'the under side of the tongue, links pivoted upon said cross-bar and having 0 erating-levers connected therewith, whee -carrying bars connected pivotally with the links and terminating at their free ends in spindles upon which wheels are supported for rotation, auxiliary links connecting the wheel carrying bars with the parallel frame-bars, seat-supporting bars hingedly engaging one of the frame-bars and having hook-shaped ends loosely engaging the other frame-bar, and collars adjustably engaging one o1 the frame-bars adjacent In testimony that I claim the foregoing as l 5 my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL A. SPITZ.

Witnesses:

J. G. Ross, RoY M. HARRIS. 

